These days, despite the 40 degree (that’s Celsius) sunny weather in South Africa, I’m trying to increase my distance I run each day from a 5K to a 10K. I’m a bit addicted to the adrenaline high I get, plus I’m gearing up to run a 10K this spring at the same time I’m gearing up to get with child again. As a traveling momma, I don’t have the luxury of an air-conditioned gym or classes in yoga studios, so I pretty much have to depend on my hot pink Nikes and the jams on my ipod to move my sorry legs and butt in the hot freaking weather down here!
I’ll admit, some of the jams on my Work-Out Playlist are super cheesy, often with lyrics involving “shaking it,” but this list below gets me going and keeps me moving. In fact, I can’t run without music. I personally like to alternate songs I listen to and change-up my playlist frequently so I don’t get bored. I also have certain songs I like to listen to as I warm up or cool down, certain ones I like to completely jam out to (e.g. sprinting) which usually involve lots of drum beats or some mad bass dropping, and songs that are fun to gallop or trot along to. I like to vary my pace while I run.
From pop/ hip-hop cheesy to folky fun and sultry Latin beats, these are some of the jams I dance (I mean run) to every day, on rotation, wherever I am to keep my mommy energies up while traveling! Full disclosure. You can click on the links to Amazon.com to play free previews of the songs.
Warm-Up (E.g. gentle stretching)
Closer to Fine by the Indigo Girls: I enjoy listening to happy upbeat tunes while stretching
Lively Up Yourself by Bob Marley: Mr. Marley always makes me feel happy and carefree and I take the lyrics “lively up” to heart as I stretch and warm up
Delirious by Prince: I should probably have more of Prince on my list
Ami Oh by African Connection Ft Denise & Bloco: happy upbeat dreams make me feel like running/ dancing
Transition- and I don’t mean labor (E.g. warming up with walking/ gentle jog before letting loose into a run)
Bad by U2: starts slow and crescendos with great drum beats to get moving- I like to sprint by the time Bono starts yelling “Let it go”
Back to the Earth by Rusted Root: also starts really slow and crescendos with some mad fun drum beats that get me moving
Power Walking Suburban Style (E.g. 6-8km/ hour)
For Beginners by M. Ward: fast and upbeat guitar stylings to get moving to
Hey Mama by Black Eyed Peas: great bass and what can be more inspiring than hearing, “Hey mama, move your booty…make sure you move your booty, shake that thing…”?
My Humps by Black Eyed Peas: “my hump, my hump…”
Stickshifts and Safetybelts by Cake: fun song and fast beat to move to
Tchintchirote by Cesaria Evora: fast, upbeat, fun
Feeling Groovy (E.g. gentle trotting at 8-10km/ hour)
Angola by Cesaria Evora: every work-out needs a little world spice- this song has a great fast beat and clapping to keep my pace up
Bulerias by Sabicas: who doesn’t love Flamenco?
Country Caravan by Blitzen Trapper: categorized as Rock, but as close to country as I personally get, it’s fun and upbeat with drums and guitar to keep pace to
Hallelujah Here She Comes by U2: I love the fast drum beat to keep pace with and just generally love this song for whatever reason
Laid by James: the drums are great to jam to (legs and air drumming included)
The Obvious Child by Paul Simon: more great drumbeats to keep pace with!
Tu y las Nubes by Peret: If I can’t be in Ecuador right now dancing to it, at least I can pretend while I run
Burning Down the Dirt Road (E.g. running fairly hard at 10-12km/ hour)
Let’s Get Retarded by Black Eyed Peas: sometimes when I listen to this song while running I throw in a few dance moves
Martyr by Rusted Rood: more upbeat fast paced drums, maracas, and guitar to keep pace with
Shake It (Lenny B Remix) by Metro Station: “shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it…”
Todo Tiende by Ojos de Brujo: soulful and great beat
Groove Is In the Heart by Deee-Lite: classic
Hey Ya! by Outkast: hey ya- great fast beat
Get Busy by Sean Paul: shake that thing
Blur the Technicolor by White Zombie: I think this is a horribly annoying song, but I enjoy running hard to it
Volando Voy (Rumbas) by Camaron de la Isla: yes, I like the Latin beats, and Flamenco is beautiful
Jamming Out (E.g. killing myself at 12-14km/ hour- I personally can’t go faster than this)
Drum Trip by Rusted Root: I can’t not jam out to these fast drum beats
I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas: can’t beat the pace of the bass, especially when the Peas drop it
Ray of Light by Madonna: this has a great face pace and drums to keep pace with, plus motivating lyrics to get me moving, “fasting than the speeding light, she’s flying…”
Drums A Go-Go by The Hollywood Persuaders: also difficult not to run to
Let It Rock by Kevin Rudolf & Lil Wayne: under no other circumstance would I listen to this song, but I do let it rock when I run to it
One, Two Step by Ciara (ft. Missy Elliot): go, go faster, faster, faster
Cooling Down (E.g. slowing down to walking and gentle stretching)
Everyday by Vetiver: happy and light tune to take a deep breath to
I Feel It All by Feist: I love this song and is a nice light song to chill out to
Running to Stand Still by U2: the title says it all
Song for a Friend by Pieta Brown: this is where I slow it way down and do some relaxing stretching and get back into mommy-mode from whatever mode I was in
What do you jam to?
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